Cast Revealed for Ti West’s ‘The Sacrament’

Who’s ready for another slow burn? Writer/director Ti West has made a name for himself as being a master of suspense, letting his stories simmer until they explode in a terrifying and explosive third act, and now he’s hard at work on his next film, The Sacrament.

We actually don’t know if West plans to take a similar approach with The Sacrament, as we know nothing about the story. But since the word sacrament means “religious ceremony,” perhaps we can assume the film will be somehow related to religion.

A press release from the film’s production company, Worldview Entertainment, reveals that the movie is already three weeks into production in Savannah, Georgia and states: “Plot details on THE SACRAMENT are being kept securely under wraps.”

However, Worldview does offer a little information in the way of casting. West called in V/H/S stars Joe Swanberg (from his “Second Honeymoon” segment) and Kentucker Audley (of Adam Wingard’s “Tape 51”). He also hired A.J. Bowen (The House of the Devil), Gene Jones (No Country for Old Men), and Amy Seimetz (Tiny Furniture).

Of the bunch, Seimetz is the standout. Tiny Furniture isn’t the film that put her on my radar – rather, a short film called “Coffee & Pie” did. When her performance didn’t grow tiresome even after multiple viewings, it was evident how well she could command a screen.

But the big question here concerns West’s style. The slow burn tactic worked wonders for those with patience in The House of the Devil, but it was a bit of a novelty at the time. The format was still rather successful in his follow-up, The Innkeepers, but could it possibly work three times in a row?

I spoke with West earlier this year for the release of The Innkeepers and asked about his now signature style, to which West explained, “It’s just whatever my sensibilities are. It just comes out that way.” If the format is more of a subconscious thing for West, it’s a safe bet that The Sacrament could take a similar approach.

Eli Roth is on board to present the production, so Worldview notes, “Eli Roth and Ti West are the top filmmakers in the horror genre, consistently taking their films to the next level, and with ‘The Sacrament’ we expect their fans will get nothing less.” Let’s hope.